Filmmaking Robot credits

The robot puts credits on each of its finished films, which are
explained and expanded here. This will probably be boring to people not
expecting to be mentioned.

First, it says The Filmmaking Robot rides on
Stagecoach buses and uses the
CafeNET wireless network. This is true.
Then after Robot made by Douglas Bagnall with help from: it breaks into
a disordered list, which is rearranged here for flow.

The New Zealand Film Archive held the
robot's first show. Many of the staff helped, but the robot particularly
mentions Mark Williams, Steve Russell, Lissa Mitchell, and Johnny
Morris. Johnny is the technician there; he set up cables and lights and
made an aerial stand for the wifi link. Mark organised the exhibition,
some talks and a lot of publicity. Steve found timely solutions to a
couple of problems. Lissa helped with publicity and signage, and a lot
more that is coincidental to her work at the archive. In fairness she
should be at the top of the list. Longer credits would thank other
Archive staff like Julian Miller for network support, Richard Lomas for
technical help, and all the people on the ground floor for supplying
coffee and keeping the thing going.

Stagecoach New Zealand is run by Bill Rae
(Managing Director), who passed my query on to Ian Turner (Commercial
Director), who in turn consulted Allan Cannell (Engineering Director).
None of them turned me away, which is enough for a director to get in
the credits. Allen introduced me to Dave Drew at Stagecoach's Kibirinie
Workshop, who arranged for Earl Anderson to install the eyes for me.
Earl is perhaps the most experienced bus electrician in the country and
was patient and interested during hours of fiddly work. Kelvin Porter
helped Earl on occasion. Linda Pickett sent some logos and stuff to me
for publicity. Not mentioned are the drivers, or the inspectors, or any
of the other people who make buses work.

Citylink Ltd run the CafeNET network, which
the robot had free use of. One of the network admins there, Simon
Blake, has
probably taught me more about computers and networks than anyone else.
Jonny Martin tracked the robot's eyes around the city when they seemed
to be lost. Richard
Naylor
speaks about video and networks with a blend of imagination and
knowledge. Neil de
Wit, as
Managing Director, would get credit just for not saying no, but he also
actually quite encouraging. Damien
Fahey sent
logos and stuff, as Linda Pickett did for Stagecoach. Nathan Lynch was
just one of the people hanging around the Citylink office being helpful
and enthusiastic; he is included as an example, perhaps because he sits
closest to the back door.

Charles Bagnall made the box.

David Preece writes advanced video compression
software, and was happy to explain how bits of it work.

Mark Cubey, as acting manager of Fringe New
Zealand, lent me a piece of office to work
in during the final weeks of construction.

David Hall lent his mind for the training of a neural network.

In 2003 I was Digital Artist in Residence at the Screen and Media
Department of Waikato University, where
I learnt some of the algorithms used by the robot.